Holder for parallel groove clamps



March 1953 T. E. DUNMAN ,63

HOLDER FOR PARALLEL GROOVE CLAMPS Filed Dec. 12, 1949 I N VEN TOR. 170022110491. fizz/Imam v ATYOEIYEYS Fatented Mar. 24, 1953 UNITED STATS OFFICE HOLDER FOR PARALLEL GROOVE CLAMPS- Thomas E. Dunman, Pawhuska, Okla.

Application December 12, 1949, Serial No. 132,526

4 (Jlaims. (Cl. 2l81) This invention relates to a linesrnans holder for parallel groove clamps. The device of the invention is a tool which is, in itself, a clamp designed to hold a parallel groove clamp in position with respect to an energized high voltage transmission line to enable a jumper or tap-off wire to be inserted in the parallel groove clamp and the latter to be tightened simultaneously upon both conductors to fix the position of the clamp on the line wire and to rigidly associate the line wire and the associated jumper or tapofi wire.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawings, throughout the figures of which the same reference characters have been used to designate identical parts:

Figure l is a side elevation of a clamp tool embodying the principles of the invention, illustrated in operation;

Figure 2 is a plan view;

Figure 3 is a cross-section taken along the lines 33 of Figure 1;

Figure l is an end view from the left in Figure l, the line wire being in section;

Figure 5 is a cross-section along the line 5-5 of Figure i.

Before proceeding to a detailed description of the invention it may be stated that the parallel groove clamp which comes in a number of lengths and is familiar to all skilled in the art, comprises two plates a and h, each having a pair of semicylindrical longitudinally extending parallel grooves 0 matching with the pair on the other plate to form parallel wire receiving channels, the plates being clamped together by a longitudinal series of bolts 17.. Obviously, since both channels are contracted simultaneously, the groove clamp aifords no means in itself whereby it can be self-supported on the high voltage line by clamping the latter in one channel while an additional wire is being clamped in the companion channel.

The subject invention provides a holder having a clamp with jaws adapted to engage the high voltage line for supporting the holder in fixed position, the latter being associated with a clamp for holding the parallel groove clamp with one of its grooves in axial alignment with the jaw opening of the first mentioned clamp.

With the supporting clamp and holding clamp in these relative positions the holder may be fixed on the high voltage line with said line passing through one of the channels of the parallel groove clamp, the latter being held in fixed position although unclamped to the high voltage line. The auxiliary wire may then be placed in the other channel of the parallel groove clamp and the plates of the latter tightened to simultaneously clamp the parallel groove clamp to both the high voltage line and the auxiliary wire.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the numeral i represents as a whole the support ing clamp which comprises a fixed jaw member 2 having a re-entrant angular recess 3 by means of which the supporting clamp may be hooked over the line wire l. Opposite the recess 3 the fixed jaw member is provided with a threaded socket 5 in which screws a stem 5 carrying the movable jaw l.

A rod 8 extends laterally from one side of the supporting clamp. Said rod has an intermediate offset portion 9 and a threaded end portion ill remote from the supporting clamp. A pair of clamping jaws H and 12 are screwed on the threaded portion it of the rod 8 in spaced relation. These jaws afford a clamp for holding the parallel groove clamp l3. The fixed jaw member 2 of the supporting clamp may be said to constitute a frame since it supports the holding clamp.

The clamping jaw i2 is near the base of the threaded portion Hi and ordinarily is immovable, being held by the jam nut I l. The movable jaw l l is adjusted by means of the nut l5 at the end of the threaded portion It.

In order to maintain the clamping jaws H and I2 in congruent relation in parallel planes, the law I! is provided with the guide rods it and H which slide through corresponding aligned apertures in the fixed jaw [2. The guide rods it are surrounded by springs it which are maintained in compression between the said clamping jaws. This prevents the jaw H from moving loosely along the threaded portion Ill when it is not under clamping stress.

The rod 8 threadedly engages a hole in the fixed jaw member 2 of the supporting clamp, being held in any position of rotational adjustment by the jam nut Hi. The relation of the clamping jaws I I and i2 of the holding clamp to the supporting clamp is such that the parallel groove clamp it may be held in the holding clamp in such a position that one of the grooves in the plate a substantially engages the line wire when the supporting clamp is fixed upon the line wire.

It is to be understood that plate a of the holding clamp is thus supported solely by the supporting clamp when thus held, the bolts extending freely through plate a. The auxiliary wire 20 may then be inserted in the companion groove on the plate a. The plate I; is then pushed on the bolts at so that its grooves register with the grooves of the plate a, and the nuts tightened so as simultaneously to clamp the line wire and the auxiliary wire in the parallel groove clamp. This having been accomplished, the nut I5 may be loos ned to release the holding clamp from the parallel groove clamp, and the stem 6 of the supporting clamp unscrewed, permitting the too] to be removed from the high voltage wire.

In using the holder for parallel groove clamps, prior to actual work upon the line wire, the lineman makes the necessary adjustment by temporarily screwing a short rod in the jaws of the supporting clamp and then positioning the parallel groove clamp in the holding clamp with one of the grooves of the plate a of said clamp against said rod. The rod is then removed and the tool, with the parts in this position, is applied to the line wire.

While I have in the above description disclosed what I believe to be a preferred and practical embodiment of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the specific details of construction and alignment of parts are by way of example and not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Holder for parallel groove clamps comprising a C clamp including a fixed. jaw member with a re-entrant angular recess adapting said clamp to be hooked on a line wire, and having a movable jaw cooperating with the fixed jaw member to clamp said O clamp fixedly to the line wire, a rod extending laterally from said fixed jaw member, secured thereto, the remote end portion of said rod being screw-threaded and perpendicular to said O clamp, cooperating clamping jaws on said threaded portion positioned to be able to hold between them a parallel groove clamp with one of its grooves substantially in axial alignment with the jaw opening in said O clamp, guide rods parallel to said threaded portion secured to one of said clamping jaws, slidable through corresponding guide passages in the other of said clamping jaws, a spring on at least one of said guide rods in tension between said clamping jaws and a nut on the end of said threaded portion of said rod for adjusting the length of jaw opening of said holding clamp.

2. Holder for parallel groove clamps of the type which comprise similar matched halves simultaneously tightened with respect to both grooves, said holder comprising a C clamp having a frame carrying a fixed jaw, and a stem cooperable therewith having a movable jaw, said jaws being cooperably positioned to clampably embrace a taut wire for supporting said holder, said frame having a bore axially parallel to a taut wire clamped in said jaws, a rod adiustably rotatably mounted in said bore extending longitudinally an appreciable distance from a side of said frame, the portion of said rod remote from said C clamp being offset from the axis of said bore and parallel to said axis, whereby it is adjustably movable through an arc coaxial with said bore, and cooperable fixed and movable clamp jaws on the offset portion of said rod adapted to clampably hold one of the halves of a parallel groove clamp.

3. Holder for parallel groove clamps as. claimed in claim 2, the fixed jaw of said 0 clamp being shaped to hook over a taut wire.

4. Holder for parallel groove clamps of the type which comprise similar matched halves simultaneously tightened with respect to both grooves, said holder comprising a C clamp having a frame carrying a fixed jaw and a stem cooperable therewith having a movable jaw, said jaws being cooperably positioned to clampably embrace a taut wire for supporting said holder, said frame having a bore axially parallel to a taut wire clamped in said jaws, a rod adjustably rotatably mounted in said bore extending longitudinally an appreciable distance from a side of said C clamp, means for fixing the adjustment of said rod rotatably with respect to said bore, the portion of said rod remote from said 0 clamp being ofiset from the axis of said bore and parallel to said axis whereby it is adjustably movable through an arc coaxial with said bore, said offset portion being threaded, fixed and movable jaws on said offset portion, a nut threaded on said offset portion abutting said movable jaw for bringing it into clamping contact with the half of a parallel groove clamp positioned between said jaws and guide members between said last named fixed and movable jaws for keeping them in the same angular phase with respect to said ofiset portion irrespective of its angular position of adjustment about the axis of said bore.

THOMAS E. DUNMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

